Driving a semi-truck takes skill and practice, as well as a deep understanding of the responsibility required to keep everyone safe on the road while operating such a massive vehicle. This is why truck drivers are held to higher licensing standards than those who drive passenger vehicles. This includes limitations on the hours they can operate their vehicle, a lower BAC limit for drivers, and a variety of certifications depending on the specific nature of the cargo being hauled. In addition, a truck driver is covered by a commercial insurance policy with limits that often exceed $1 million in liability coverage.
An accident between a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck is often devastating for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. The weight disparity, the greater force of the collision, and other factors can lead to severe injuries or even death for those involved — even at low speeds.
These important details are ones that truck accident lawyers recognize, and they will highlight these unique aspects of truck accidents as they help you through your insurance claim or lawsuit.
Working with a truck accident lawyer is an important step in the aftermath of an accident, but many feel overwhelmed with their injuries, missed work, and the rest of the disruptions that an accident causes, and may fail to connect with a truck accident lawyer in time to get the support they deserve.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Connect With an Attorney Today
If you or a loved one have been involved in such an accident, 1-800-Injured can help you get in touch with a Fort Lauderdale truck accident attorney who can review your case and help you understand your options. 1-800-Injured is a medical and attorney referral service that connects accident victims with experienced attorneys throughout the state of Florida, including Fort Lauderdale.
Trying to file an insurance claim — especially while dealing with injuries — can be daunting, and the insurance process is designed to work in favor of the insurer representing the negligent party. Insurance companies are focused on maximizing profits, and to do so, the company will focus on paying as little as possible for any given claim, so while you are working with the at-fault commercial truck driver’s insurance company, the adjuster assigned to your claim will likely be looking for holes to poke in your case to settle for as little as possible.
Read more below about truck accident claims, and contact 1-800-Injured as soon as possible to connect with an attorney who is skilled in Fort Lauderdale truck accidents.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Fort Lauderdale
There are a few key things you should do immediately following a truck accident in Fort Lauderdale, but your health and safety must be your top priorities. The following steps are meant as a ” best case” guide, but if you are unable to complete any of these because of your condition, then your truck accidents lawyer will help you fill in the blanks retroactively.
Move to Safety
If possible, move yourself and your vehicle to the shoulder or another safe area off the road. This will help to prevent any further accidents from taking place. If you are unable to move your vehicle, then stay inside with your seatbelt fastened and wait for emergency assistance.
If you suspect that anyone in the vehicle has suffered from spinal cord injuries, do not move them unless absolutely necessary.
Call 911
Even if the accident appears to be minor, it is always best to err on the side of caution and call 911 so that Florida law enforcement can come to the scene, assess the situation, and file an official police report. If anyone is injured, then the police will also summon an ambulance. In a situation as complicated as a truck accident, it is always helpful to have an experienced professional on location to gather the necessary information.
When you call 911, emergency medical assistance will also be dispatched to the accident scene. This is essential after a truck or car accident to ensure that truck accident victims are attended to appropriately.
Document the Scene
If you are able to do so, use your phone to take photos or videos of the scene, including any damage to your vehicle, the other vehicle(s) involved, and the surrounding area. These will be valuable pieces of evidence for your truck accident lawyer. No matter how vivid the details may seem in your mind at the moment, those details will fade over time. It’s best to record this information so you won’t need to worry about remembering anything.
You should also try to get the contact information for any eyewitnesses to the accident, as they could help provide testimony later on.
Get Medical Attention
It is not always immediately apparent whether or not you have been injured in an accident, but it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you believe that you are uninjured. In some cases, injuries are not known until hours or even days after the accident has taken place.
The EMTs at the scene will be able to give you a preliminary exam and may recognize symptoms of something like traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that you might not yet be aware of. Additionally, this immediate medical attention will create a record of your injuries, which will help establish the extent of damages in your case.
Schedule a Follow-Up With Your Doctor
Even if the EMTs do not find any injuries, it is still a good idea to see your regular doctor or go to urgent care as soon as possible. They will be able to give you a more thorough exam and may find something that was not immediately apparent.
It is important to keep all of your medical appointments and records relating to the accident, as these will be important in building your case.
Get in Touch With a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Attorney
Once you have taken care of your immediate medical needs and gathered as much information as possible, the next step is to contact 1-800-Injured for a free consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Once you work with personal injury lawyers who understand truck accident cases, they will focus on getting you the maximum compensation. They will hold either the driver or the trucking company liable for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages through the claims process.
Common Causes of Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents
The sheer size and weight of a commercial truck can cause serious damage if it collides with a smaller passenger vehicle. Unfortunately, these accidents happen more often than they should, and they often have devastating consequences for the victims.
Many different factors can contribute to a truck accident, but some of the most common include the following:
Distracted Driving
Long hours on the road can lead to distractions, as can the complicated console that truck drivers have to use. If a truck driver takes their eyes off the road for even a moment, it can lead to a serious accident.
Many people don’t realize that there are more distractions than looking at your phone or responding to a text message. Things like eating while driving, talking on the phone, or even just letting your mind wander are all examples of distracted driving, and each can lead to truck accidents.
Speeding
Truck drivers are often under pressure to meet strict deadlines, which can lead them to taking risks on the road, such as speeding. This can be especially dangerous when combined with other factors, such as heavy traffic or bad weather.
Semi-trucks often haul loads upwards of 80,000 lbs, which means that stopping can take a lot longer than it would for a smaller vehicle. If a truck driver is speeding and needs to stop suddenly, they may not be able to do so in time, leading to a serious accident.
Fatigue
As we mentioned, working in the trucking industry often means that commercial truck drivers spend long hours on the road, which can lead to fatigue. When a driver is tired, they are more likely to make mistakes, which can put other people in danger.
There are Hours of Service regulations that limit the amount of time a trucker can spend behind the wheel in any given period of time, but these regulations are not always followed.
Improper Maintenance
Trucking companies are often (but not always) responsible for a truck’s maintenance, and if they fail to do so, it can lead to serious accidents. Things like bald tires, broken brakes, and faulty lights are all examples of maintenance issues that can cause accidents. Truck accidents caused by maintenance issues lead to additional complications that your truck accident lawyers can handle. This includes determining whether the driver, truck company, or a different party is responsible for this maintenance and therefore liable for the accident.
These large trucks are subject to much more wear-and-tear than the standard passenger vehicle, so a truck driver needs to be extra vigilant when it comes to maintenance.
Reckless Driving
Unfortunately, some truck drivers make the decision to drive recklessly, regardless of the danger it poses to themselves and others. Actions like tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, and cutting people off are all examples of reckless driving, and any one of them can lead to a serious accident.
Sharing the road with a reckless driver is scary no matter what, but when the reckless driver is behind the wheel of an 80,000 lb vehicle, the situation can become deadly in an instant.
Truck Driver Error
No matter how many certifications a driver may have, they are still human, and to err is human. Unfortunately, when a truck driver makes a mistake, it can have catastrophic consequences.
Some of the most common examples of truck driver error include:
- Making an improper turn
- Failing to check blind spots
- Braking too hard or too late
- Misjudging the amount of space needed to make a maneuver
These are just a few examples, but the bottom line is that even the best truck drivers make mistakes from time to time. When these mistakes lead to accidents, it’s important to have an experienced lawyer on your side who can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Trucking Company Negligence
In some cases, the truck driver may not be the truck owner and may not be at fault for the accident. Instead, the accident may have been caused by the trucking company’s negligence.
For example, if the company hires an inexperienced or unqualified driver, they may be held liable for any accidents that occur. If the company failed to properly maintain the vehicle, it might also be held liable. There are many different ways in which a trucking company can be negligent, and if their negligence leads to an accident, they may be held liable for any resulting damages.
Seeking the Maximum Compensation After a Large Truck Accident
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a large truck, it’s important to seek the maximum compensation possible. The experienced personal injury lawyers at 1-800-Injured can help you get the compensation you deserve.
When it comes to these types of accidents, there are often many different parties who may be held liable, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and even the manufacturer of the vehicle. Your car accident lawyer will work to identify all liable parties and help you get the compensation you need to cover damages like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Under personal injury law, victims are entitled to recover compensatory damages, which are meant to restore their losses. These are further divided into two subcategories, economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages have a specific monetary value, such as medical bills, hospital bills, and lost wages. These damages are relatively easy to calculate, as you can simply add up all of your medical bills and lost wages and submit them to the insurance company. These calculations may also include future medical bills or future lost wages, both of which are common in personal injury cases.
In the case of a wrongful death claim, economic damages would also include funeral and burial expenses, as well as future financial income that the deceased would have earned. There are many other damages specific to wrongful death that your personal injury lawyer will help you understand as they seek to recover compensation on your behalf.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages do not have a specific monetary value and include pain and suffering. These damages are more difficult to calculate, as there is no surefire way to put a dollar amount on something like pain and suffering — and insurance companies are quick to take advantage of this fact when denying or downplaying a victim’s claim.
In order to calculate an appropriate amount for non-economic damages, your lawyer will consider things like the severity of your injuries, the impact the accident has had on your life, and the amount of economic damages you have suffered. Trucking accidents are terrifying experiences and can often lead to lasting trauma responses that truck accident victims will need to seek therapy for, all while focusing on recovering from physical injuries.
Once all of these factors have been considered, your truck accident lawyer will make a demand for the full amount of compensatory damages you are entitled to under personal injury law. If the insurance company denies your claim, your lawyer will be prepared to take them to court and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Connect With Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Attorneys
The sooner you contact 1-800-Injured, the sooner you will be connected with an experienced truck accident lawyer who can help you make sense of your truck accident and work towards getting you fair compensation.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident, contact us as soon as possible. Trucking accident lawyers understand the complexities of these situations, and once you are represented by a truck accident lawyer, you can stay focused on getting the help and care you need to work toward recovery.